December, 2009

USPS Operation Santa Claus Program is Alive and Well!

USPS Operation Santa Claus Program 2009

Each year we receive thousands of messages from people wanting more information about the venerable USPS Operation Santa Claus Program.

We can’t respond to all emails individually and want to  help you better understand the Letters to Santa program and the new process that has been implemented nationwide.

In 2006, national policies were implemented for all postal-operated programs involving customers “adopting” letters to Santa.

In 2008, an incident occurred that prompted the USPS to stop the program immediately. Three days later, it began again, but only in New York City and Chicago — the two largest programs in the country.  Utilizing a new format  that contained additional safety features, the “Dear Santa” letters now have the last names and the addresses of the children redacted.  Santa’s elves who wish to answers letters from children who would otherwise have no Christmas at all can still do so but will need to return to the post office they picked the letter(s) up from to ship their Christmas gifts.

This program has always been strictly voluntary. But if a post office chooses to participate, they must follow the established guidelines. The guidelines have become somewhat labor intensive and because of the economy and scarce resources, a number of locations opted out of participating this year.

The Postal Service does not receive tax dollar for operations and the current financial situation is forcing local offices to make some difficult decisions, including whether to participate in this optional program.

The United States Postal Service has been operating the Letters to Santa program for nearly 100 years and we know it has helped tens of thousands of children and their families experience the magic of the holiday season.

The Postal Service is not canceling the program. Indeed, they continue to provide ways to make the holidays happy for many children. They are protecting the identity of the children. It’s just that simple.

Participating Post Office Locations Across America

Click here to print or view Operation Santa Claus locations in other cities.

Click here to print Individual Participant Form.

Click here to print Organization Participant Form.

Call your local post office to find out if this wonderful program is available in your area. 1-800-ASK-USPS.

Please email us with new locations that are not listed on this form and we will immediately add them to our list!

October, 2008

Operation Letters To Santa has created a new online community for one single purpose - to bring public awareness to the USPS volunteer program “Operation Santa Claus”. By working together we can celebrate Christmas in its purest form by bringing Christmas to a child who with only hope in their heart, writes a letter to “Dear Santa” each year with eager anticipation that Santa does exist, does care, and that they will indeed have a merry Christmas.

Please read the "Operation Santa Claus" articles that inspired this site. It is our sincere and fervent hope that after reading both stories, that parents, teachers, scouting and civic organizations will band together to form a local chapter of Operation Santa Claus in each and every town in this land.

Operation Letters to Santa: http://www.operationlettertosanta.com

Santa's Blog: http://operationsanta.com

Santa's Online Community: http://operationsanta.ning.com

Follow Santa on Twitter: http://explore.twitter.com/OperationSanta

Contact Webmaster: webmaster@operationlettertosanta.com

September, 2008

Follow Santa Claus on Twitter!

Operation Santa Claus has moved into the technological age and can now be found on Twitter. There are a lot of new and exciting things going on and Twitter is the best place to connect with Santa Claus and make sure that you are always kept informed of what he is up to!

Operation Letters to Santa: http://www.operationlettertosanta.com

Santa's Blog: http://operationsanta.com

Santa's Online Community: http://operationsanta.ning.com

Follow Santa on Twitter: http://explore.twitter.com/OperationSanta

Contact Webmaster: webmaster@operationlettertosanta.com

OPERATION LETTERS TO SANTA.com, www.operationlettertosanta.com was launched in 2001 as a direct response to the need to create public awareness of the United States Postal Service Operation Santa Claus program. For over 90 years, volunteer postal workers have answered "Dear Santa" letters from needy children who would otherwise have no Christmas at all.

USPS Operation Santa Claus began informally in the early 1920s, when New York postal clerks began chipping in their own money to buy gifts for poor kids whose notes to Santa ended up in the dead-letter office. As the number of letters grew, the clerks asked for help from the public. The program’s most dramatic growth has come in the last three decades. In 1980, there were about 5,000 letters to Santa from needy kids received at the New York Post Office. This year the total will almost certainly be more than 150,000, and could approach 200,000. The program is based out of the James A Farley building in New York and is instantly recognizable to fans of the famous movie, Miracle on 34th Street.

Operation Santa Claus continues to grow and evolve as the years pass, and is now available to citizens, corporations, civic and church groups and anyone who would like to bring a smile to a child who has little or no hope of receiving a Christmas gift. Many of these children write to Santa asking for warm clothing, school supplies or a gift for a parent or sibling. In years past, it was necessary to write to the New York facility and have letters sent to you by mail. Beginning in 2006 the rules changed and it is now possible to go directly to your local post office and ask for letters. Please visit our website at www.operationlettertosanta.com for more information and how to find post offices in your area who participate in Operation Santa Claus.

The website Operation Letters To Santa has grown with the program and offers web visitors a nostalgic look at the winter holidays from Halloween to New Years. The site offers more than 900 pages of holiday traditions, tales, Christmas sheet music, carols, lyrics and midis, recipes, crafts, games and a huge kid zone for children of all ages. There are free downloads, vintage e-greetings and free personalized stationery and thank you notes to use during the holiday season. The site is Safe Surf rated and is appropriate for people of all ages.

For more information please contact:

Operation Letters to Santa: http://www.operationlettertosanta.com

Santa's Blog: http://operationsanta.com

Santa's Online Community: http://operationsanta.ning.com

Follow Santa on Twitter: http://explore.twitter.com/OperationSanta

Contact Webmaster: webmaster@operationlettertosanta.com